Synopsis

After discovering Rae beaten and abandoned by the roadside, troubled bluesman Lazarus takes her into his home and chains her to a radiator, believing he can save her from her destructive sexual behavior. As the two confront their own emotional wounds, Rae's returning boyfriend Ronnie searches for her, threatening to shatter Lazarus' fragile attempt at redemption.

Factoids & Trivia

• The title comes from "Black Snake Moan," a 1927 blues recording by Blind Lemon Jefferson.

• Samuel L. Jackson spent six or seven months learning blues guitar for the role. He also spent time in the Mississippi Delta with older blues musicians, including Big Jack Johnson.

• Christina Ricci wore a real chain weighing approximately 40 pounds during filming. Several chains were presented to her, and she selected the heaviest and most imposing one.

• Jackson learned to play guitar while completing production on Snakes on a Plane. Both films were released in 2006 and featured the word "snake" in their titles.

• The screenplay was developed while Hustle & Flow was still being edited. The production team wanted to preserve the atmosphere of the Memphis and Mississippi region rather than recreate it on a Los Angeles soundstage.

• Cinematographer Amy Vincent used southern gothic films, including Bad Georgia Road, as visual references during preparation.

• The film's blues music was composed by Scott Bomar, who also collaborated with Craig Brewer on Hustle & Flow.

• Despite its provocative marketing, the story was conceived as a drama about pain, redemption, isolation, and the ways music can help people endure suffering.